


Seaside Shenanigans

by ShipInABottle



Series: By the Ocean [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: M/M, Mer!AU, Merperson!Noctis, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, which is what it is now apparently
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-24
Updated: 2017-07-24
Packaged: 2018-12-06 08:16:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11596659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShipInABottle/pseuds/ShipInABottle
Summary: Noctis shows Prompto around the caverns that he hangs out at when nobody's around.





	Seaside Shenanigans

**Author's Note:**

> This is a little side drabble to my other work Shallow Water and this work is going to just be little scenes that won't fit into the main work especially if I wanna finish it.
> 
> Some parts make more sense with context from the main work but I think overall it can be read as a standalone.
> 
> The events in this fic start in chapters three after Prompto finally relaxes around Noct, and before he met Gladio.
> 
> There might be discrepancies in the work because I wrote this mostly half asleep, so if there are any mistakes let me know, thanks

Noct had told Prompto that he wanted to show him something the last time he had been here, so he was expecting Noct to have brought with him one thing or another.

Instead, Noct had wanted to show him the caverns that lay nearby. The only way in was through a small opening in the cliff wall. Unfortunately, the only way to it was underwater. Prompto couldn't swim. He hadn't been made for water.

“Uh, Noct, sorry dude, but I can't swim.”

He really was sorry, Noct seemed so excited- in his own subtle way- to show Prompto the place he always frequented when he was away. Noct had even brought waterproof flashlights he had found from some wreckages, because he knew Prompto couldn't see in the dark water.

Prompto expected that to be that, for Noct to be disappointed, and for them to carry on with the day. Except that, while Noct had looked disappointed when he told him that, it only lasted a few seconds, before he was back to being excited.

“I could teach you how to swim.” said Noctis, in a way that suggested that this wasn't an offer, and that he was going to do it.

“No, dude, I can't, bad idea.” Prompto shook his head. He didn't want to admit that he was a teeny tiny bit afraid of the water. A shower or a bath, or even a swimming pool couldn't compare to the deep, endless-seeming, murky sea water.

“Oh, come on, swimming isn't hard, you just have to know how to float.”

“That's easy for you to say, you've been swimming your whole life. And you have a tail!”

“C’mon, Prom, please. I won't let you drown,” implored Noct, doing his best to look as pitiful as possible. Somehow, Prompto got the feeling that this was something Noctis did a lot, “It's just a short trip into the cave, and there's even a platform inside.”

Prompto sighed noisily, knowing that he was just going to fold like a blanket eventually, and that he would probably save more time by letting it happen sooner. He sighed some more, just to be difficult.

“Fine,” whined Prompto, dragging the word out, “But if I die, that's on you.”

“It's like you forget that I have healing magic,” said Noct, triumphant, laughter evident in his tone, “Okay, so all you have to do is take a deep breath and hold it, we just want to get into the caves first. I'll teach you to advanced stuff later on.”

Okay, deep breath, he could do that. Prompto inhaled deeply and held it. When Noctis was satisfied that he wouldn't let it out, he pulled Prompto into the water, to the surprise of the man. Luckily, Prompto managed to not breathe in water.

When Prompto had opened his eyes again, Noct had already switched on a flashlight, and was waving it in his direction. He took the flashlight from him and pointed the light towards Noctis, who was reaching out for him.

Noct grabbed onto his hand and pulled him in what Prompto assumed was the direction of the cave entrance. He didn't have time to look around him as he was dragged through the entrance and pulled up towards the surface of the water.

He took a deep breath once they broke through the water, Noct still tugging on his hand, towing him towards the stone platform. He brought up the flashlight and swept it in an arc upwards. He gasped as the light hit the cave ceiling, the sound echoing throughout the cavern. No wonder it sounded so airy in here, the cavern was spacious, with the ceiling so high, covered in dripping stalactites. It was awe-inspiring.

“Not so bad, right? And you didn't drown, so obviously you're fine.”

Noctis pulled him right up to the stone platform and Prompto heaved himself up onto it to rest, still pointing the light around the vast cavern, taking in the damp peacefulness. He noticed a draft, as it blew on his still wet clothing, shivering as it passed.

“It's not as cold if you stay under water, plus there's an area around here I want to show you.”

“Alright, then,” Prompto slid off the stone and back into the water, gripping the flashlight securely in his hand, “Lead the way.”

“Okay, swimming lesson part two: you have to kick your feet, I'm not gonna do all the work here.”

Prompto huffed, but he'd agreed to this, so he took hold of Noctis's hand again and took a deep breath, before submerging into the water. Noct pulled on his hand, and Prompto attempted to kick his feet underwater. It was a strange sensation, but he found that there was a rhythm to it. Noct looked back at him and gave him an encouraging smile, which Prompto returned when he'd gotten the hang of it.

They kept to near the surface of the water, since Prompto didn't have the convenient ability to breath underwater. Eventually, after going around some more cave walls and passages, they reached a small area, filled with natural lighting.

The light came from small openings in the ceiling. It filtered gently through the cave and water, allowing Prompto some sight. He assumed this part of the cave was somewhere under the forest area near the cliff side, due to the distant birdsong he could hear.

He was floating underwater, taking in his surroundings, while Noctis circled him lazily. Prompto hadn't actually had the chance to fully take in Noctis's entire person before, and the light from the flashlight and the openings allowed him to do so.

Noctis swam around him gracefully, his tail was long and lithe, with the delicate looking fins trailing in the water. The light from the surface fell softly across him, illuminating iridescent scales all along his body that shimmered as he moved. His hair floated around his face serenely when he stopped moving, which made him look ethereal, surrounded by the glow of light flitting in the water around him around him.

Prompto felt his breath catch in his throat, forgetting for a moment that he was underwater. His lungs seized up as he tried to breathe in but all that came was water. Noct moved towards him in alarm, as Prompto attempted to kick towards the surface, panic coursing through him as his fears were realised.

Noctis hooked his elbows under his arms and dragged him bodily through the water, up towards the stony platforms, where he lay prone, gasping for air, trying to get rid of all the water and regain his breath.

“Are you okay?” asked Noct, full of concern, “What happened? You seemed like you were doing fine.”

Prompto made waving motions with a hand at Noct, he still couldn't form sentences, what with him coughing his lungs out. And what was he going to say anyways? ‘ _Oh y’know, I was just struck by how beautiful you are that I forgot how to breathe and that I was literally floating in a body of water.’_ Yeah, that made sense.

But Noctis was genuinely concerned and he didn't want to worry him more than he already had, so he threw out some noncommittal quip that he hoped would assuage Noct’s worries.

“Well, if you're sure you're alright,” came Noct's reluctant reply, a self depreciating laugh, “I guess I spoke too soon, huh? We can go back if you're not up to going on today, it'll probably be best if you got some rest.”

“No no no! It's okay! We can continue on, that's definitely not going to happen again, I promise.”

“Dude.”

“I'm okay, I'm fine, trust me. That was a one time thing.”

He hoped. He really didn't want a repeat.

Noct fixed him with a look. Once Prompto got his breathing under order, he could fully appreciate Noct’s concern, amongst other things. Now that he'd noticed how Noctis looked, he couldn't stop noticing it.

Even out of the water, Noct's hair somehow, like magic, wasn't plastered to his head like how Prompto's was. The light in the cave only seemed to accentuate his otherworldliness, and his distress made him seem this much more reachable.

Prompto’s fingers itched for a camera. He'd left it back on the stones with the rest of his stuff.

“Hey, Prom?” Noct waved his hand in front of Prompto’s face. Even that movement seemed effortless. “You sure you're okay? You're kinda spacing out on me.”

Prompto gave himself a mental shake and tossed a smile at him that, with luck, wasn't as shaky as he felt.

“Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Let's go.”

**Author's Note:**

> I keep injuring Prompto, I am so sorry,,,
> 
> Writing the Noctis scenes was like making myself fall in love with him, which honestly? Yeah.
> 
> Every single title in this series is going to be beach/water related and I am going to run out of creative titles at this rate. As if the titles are actually creative >_>


End file.
